Builders take a fancy to names that ring a bell

Madhurima Nandy

madhurima.n@htlive.com BENGALURU

Bengalururises El Dorado, a

city of gold in legends but now an upcoming township. For developer Brigade Group which tagged its launch campaign as #StrikeGold, the name signals the rich potential of the project, the largest in the city’s Bagalur special economic zone.

For India’s top property developers, the art of naming a residential project hasevolved from whimsical flourishes to calculated strategy.

Builders, once prone to exotic but meaningless monikers, areincreasingly crafting titles that resonate with location, design, and target clien I n the sprawling suburbs of

Builders are crafting titles that resonate with location, design

and target clientele.

tele. The transition reflects a maturing market, where Mumbai’s Prestige Nautilus aims to signal status, while DLF’s floral series, like The Dabhlias, seeks to establish a recognizable brand. “Naming a project involves

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intensely debated discussions. A project name needs to be a potential differentiator, describe the product or location and set the context. The best namesare the onesrooted in the design of the project,” said Smarajit Mishra, head of

marketing and strategy at Brigade Group. Hence, Brigade Icon in Chennai’s Mount Road because of its ‘iconic location’, and Brigade Altius (Latin for higher) that soars 43 floors high in the southern city. Names such as these make the first connect with a potential customer, lending a unique identity to projects. In asector where landmarks are built on brand recognition, a project’snameis not merely a label but a calibrated instrument of sales. Bengaluru-based Prestige Group recently launched its ultra-luxury project in Mumbai called Prestige Nautilus, pricing homes at 340-50 crore. According to the company’s marketing and branding head Prithwish Kotian, the name adds value to the sea facing property, hasa Western touch and would identify as a status symbol for buyers. “Without a name, you cannot create a landmark. So, we choose the names carefully. A number of factors are considered for a project name, includingwhoisthe end user, howasalesperson cansellit to the customer, and how easy it is to remember. In joint venture projects, the partners also

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Builders open doors to names thatring a bell

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chipin with their suggestions. The final call on a name is taken by the management,” Kotian added.

India’sresidential property market hasbeen onaroll, with a strong focus on high-end developments. In general, developers pick names that roll off the tongue—not too many syllables, easy to pronounce and recall. However, project names tend tobecome fancier as they go upscale. They are also catering to a wider customer base with growing numbers of non-residentIndians.

Some developersalso follow recurring themes. A few of DLF’s luxury projects in Gurugram—The Magnolias, The Camellias, and the recently launched The Dahlias are named after different flowers. Similarly, many of Bengaluru’s Sobha Ltd’s projects are named after gemstones— Amethyst, Emerald, Sapphire and Pearl.

The way a

Project names tend to become fancier as they go upscale. mint

mony, Bengaluru-based Assetz Property Group recently launched Ren & Rei, a boutique project with 218 homes, costing 1.8 crore and above.

Sunil Pareek, executive director, Assetz says the naming process begins when a projectis being designed. Asa signature, it almost always uses the ampersand (&) sign in its project names—38 & Banyan, in which 38 homes were built around an old banyan tree; Earth & Essence with an

al-fresco theme.

project is named Project names are ForThe House is evolving too. also cateringto of Abhinandan Anuj Puri, chair- awider customer Lodha, which man and founder base with sells branded of property advi- growing numbers plots', project sory, Anarock p location is key. Group, says pro- of non-!‘e5|dent The company jectswere named Indians launched The fairly randomly _ Sarayu, a hot-sell earlier. Anarock Creative Agency, part of the group, is appointed by many developers to engage in the naming process.

“I think real estate names are more meaningful these daysand are true to a project. Developers appoint external agencies and deploy their full marketing force to name a project appropriately,” he said.

Inspired by the Japanese philosophy of growth and har ing plotted project in Ayodhya, named after the Sarayu river on the banks of which the city is built. Itsproject Aero Estate in Khopoli was inspired by the new, upcoming airport in Navi Mumbeai.

Chiefexecutive officer Samujjwal Ghosh said the company chooses names that capture the essence of the brand and the unique proposition of aproject.